Both office staff members leaving at the same time, is this a really bad thing to do?

[Newstartawaits2938]

I work in a school office, there are 2 of us plus a manager.
I have been wanting to leave for months because I find my manager very difficult to work with. She is effecting my mental health terribly. Found out the person I replaced also left because of this same manager.
My colleague also left for the same reason about 3 months ago and I had to mann the office completely alone for weeks whilst they recruited someone, and now I have a new person in the office with me who also doesn't have school experience.
She has now told me that she also wants to leave (same reason!) And is applying for jobs and hopefully will be gone soon.

Thing is there is only the 2 of us in the office. We do absolutely everything. I don't know how it works in other schools but when i started there was no training at all and no information left for me . (Had no school experience)
My colleague at the time who has now left was amazing and showed me what she could and I've picked up the rest myself over time. The work load and responsibilities are huge and my manager doesn't help whatsoever.
When my colleagues replacement started there was noone to show her what to do, I couldn't as didn't know her side of the role at all. She's become overwhelmed and is struggling with the lack of support.

I want to be gone as soon as possible and have an interview next week . Thing is , this could mean that both of us will be leaving at roughly the same time leaving them with no office staff at all or 2 brand new ones with noone in there to show them what to do.
I feel really guilty about this as I love the school and don't want to cause them problems but i just cannot work with this person longer than necessary, I have to put myself first. I know it's not my problem, this manager has caused every member of office staff to leave and I don't see why I should stay to the detriment of my mental health but my heart feels such guilt of the problem it will cause the school. When I do actually leave I will be telling them the truth as to why I want to , and colleague is doing the same.

Did you ever raise a formal grievance about this manager? If nobody does they might know there's an issue but not be able to do anything about it.

I do however agree that you need to put yourself first though. I also agree some handover notes will help your successor and will help elevate your guilt about leaving the school.

I would leave and not feel guilty. I wouldn't try talk to the head as it's likely they already know and haven't done anything about it.

Raise a grievance, but get ready to leave if things don't change.
This person is a bully and needs to be stopped, but not by you.
I'd set out something in a folder for a potential replacement, if I had the time and it wasn't too much trouble.

Put yourself first.

I've been in school admin for 25 yrs.

Bullies like your boss thrive in schools because heads focus on classroom stuff so they get away with it. I'm generalising of course. But don't forget that the head and other leaders get paid a vast amount of money compared to you to run the school so don't have any guilt leaving. They should realise that good office staff are like hen's teeth, the face of the school that can make it break reputation.

Don't bother with HR such as it is, probably your boss anyway, or a grievance, it will only end up with governors who will side with the school and your working life will be impossible.

Good luck with your interview!

Speak to the head teacher and if she does not do anything then take it further - the problem is your Manager

This!

Also this!

My manager deals with all the HR stuff. She is also nice as pie with SLT, the head and governors. She's like chalk and cheese
Noone sees how she treats us and talks to us as its not done infront of them. But as I said previous staff have told the head on leaving.
I am not wanting to put in a grievance whilst still working with her as it would be unbearable and would make my mental health even worse.
All the stuff she does is very subtle and sneaky , but added together has a real effect on you. For example she doesn't say hello or goodbye- just ignores us. She barks orders to us with no please or thank you. She goes out of her way to find a miniscule thing you have missed or done wrong and makes a huge drama about it until your in floods of tears. Things like that

Schools are a strange environment to work in admin staff often are asked to do all kinds of tasks and expected to just get on with things without training. From your last post she’s making your life hard. If it’s making you miserable then look for new job.

OP doesn't 'need' to do anything.

She has been very clear that the school leadership team has been told several times why office staff are leaving. There has been no response. Raising the issue again now is likely to make OP's working life miserable without any benefit.

Best wishes for the interview next week OP.

The school have done nothing to retain staff, so this is really not your problem.

If both of you tell them why you are leaving, and why the others left, then the school either does something about it, or loses staff on a regular basis.

Their hands are probably tied in getting rid of her, but you and others should be reporting every incident of bullying, so that the school can take action.

She sounds exactly like the bitch I worked with. She was put on leave the moment the complaint went in though, I never had to work with her again.

The answer is simple.

It's not your fucking problem.

In the nicest way, what they do next isn't your problem, look for another job and when you leave be honest on your exit questionnaire/interview

You should look out for you - its the Head's job to look out for the school and if they know there is an issue with the manager but have done nothing then any problems in the office if you both leave are on the Head and not on you. Just make sure that when you both leave you both tell the Head why.

Do your children attend the same school/ are likely to attend the school in future?

If not then I would try to push on until your interview but after that I would go to see your GP and get signed off sick with stress and put your grievance in then. Honestly the last thing you need to worry about is how the office will cope when you leave. By then you will be in a nice shiny new job.

If my dc are in the school I might skip the grievance just because I wouldn't want their education to suffer at all. I know it shouldn't but some people can be spiteful.

Put your own job satisfaction, wellbeing and mental health first.

Being up shit creek without a paddle might be just what they need to galvanise them into finding out just why so many office staff keep leaving.

Not your problem. Find yourself a new job and be happy.

Decisions around work can be tricky as you don't want to leave your colleagues in a difficult situation, but at the end of the day it's your career and your life. Your happiness traded for someone else's job being easier.

If you want to leave, go for it. You'll be happier and they'll have to find a way to cope.